Haematopoiesis
(blood formation) has long served as a model process for studying stem
cells and represents the best characterised adult stem cell system with
functional assays and purification strategies for a plethora of
precursors ranging from the pluripotent haematopoietic stem cell (HSC)
via multipotent and unipotent progenitors to at least 14 distinct
mature cell types. Transcriptional control is a key factor
controlling haematopoiesis.

Our current understanding of mouse haematopoiesis is depicted on the figure on the right.